Flexible sleeve for traveling cleaner



G. B. HOLTZCLAW 2,931,061

FLEXIBLE SLEEVE FOR TRAVELING CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 5, 1960 Filed Aug. 22, 1957 l0 l 35 6 a5 J I I (I a I as as aei aaea e6 i 86 i l I l I I ,6 t I! Y La 3 H lnl a8 78 0 50 H I as 58 3a so I, 36

u-' u E 38 V 34 34 I I i '2 I April 5, 1960 e. B. HOLTZCLAW 2,931,061

FLEXIBLE SLEEVE FOR TRAVELING CLEANER Filed Aug. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States FLEXIBLE SLEEVE FQR TRAVELING CLEANER Grover Bascorn I-loltzclaw, Charlotte, N.C., assignor to Parks-Cramer Company, Fitchbnrg, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 22, 1957, Serial No. 679,629

7 Claims. ((11. 15-312) This invention relates to improvements in certain parts of traveling blowers for cleaning textile machines and/ or floors beneath and between such machines. The traveling blower, or traveling cleaner as it is commonly called, comprises a carriage having a motor and a rotatable fan mounted upon a trackway extending horizontally over the machines. Means are provided for propelling the carriage along the trackway and for rotating the fan. Extending from the housing which surrounds the fan are one or more outlet conduits having depending therefrom one or more flexible sleeves constituting the present invention and through which air is directed toward portions of the machines and/or floor to be cleaned. The cleaning unit may be self-propelled, or may be attached to a tractor running on the same trackway. The cleaning operation may be accomplished by a single traveling blower unit, or two or more units may be used inde pendently or in combination. Cleaning may be effected by blowing alone, or in combination with a system of lint removal by suction, or by suction alone.

Examples of traveling cleaners to which the invention is applicable are disclosed in the patents to William J. Smith, No. 1,920,768, issued August 1, 1933, and to William B. Hodge, Nos. 2,047,558, issued July 14, 1936, and 2,184,880, issued December 26, 1939. These cleaners need not be illustrated and described in detail herein as the present invention relates only to improvements in the mechanism for directing the blasts of air delivered by the fan.

A basic improvement in traveling cleaners of the general types referred to above is disclosed in my Patent No. 2,524,797, issued October 10, 1950. This discloses the combination with a traveling cleaner of flexible sleeves extending downwardly therefrom below head height, through which accurately controlled air currents of desired volumes and velocities are delivered to desired places and in desired directions. The flexible sleeves yield if they come in contact with a machine operator or other obstruction as the cleaner travels on the overhead track.

Flexible sleeves of the character broadly covered by my Patent No. 2,524,797 have been found advantageous for delivering air currents to either upper or lower portions of spinning frames, winders, looms and other textile machines. In some instances difficulty has been encountered in the use of relatively long sleeves required for cleaning lower machine areas and the floor, because of the tendency for the sleeves to bend or break back in a direction opposite to that of the issuing air streams. In order to deliver air streams accurately to areas to be cleaned, some measure of rigidity must be maintained in the sleeves particularly in planes normal to the direction of travel of the cleaner along its track. At the same time a satisfactory degree of flexibility is essential so that the sleeves will yield readily, especially in planes parallel to the direction of travel, Whenever they come in contact with an operator or other obstruction. In

ice

cases where air streams issue in a diagonally downward direction any bending of the sleeve away from the issuing air streams out of its intended nearly perpendicular position will change materially the direction of those air streams, with resulting failureto clean properly. Thus for proper operation of the entire traveling cleaner as well as for safety and to minimize wear and tear, the sleeves should possess a combination of adequate resistance against bending back away from air currents and yieldability when meeting obstructions.

Various devices have been tried to make the long sleeves keep proper position and shape against the reactive effect of the issuing air streams without sacrificing required flexibility. Various types of relatively heavy sleeve material or additional long, side reinforcing members have been tried and found largely unsuccessful in that such sleeves are too heavy and stiff to be dragged easily over obstructions such as wheeled bobbin boxes in the aisles between frames. Furthermore sleeves of stiff material usually fail to keep the exact cross-sectional shapes necessary for precise delivery of air currents.

An object of the present invention is to overcome the difficulties above described by providing a sleeve construction which during operation of the cleaner is sulficiently rigid to properly direct air currents, and at the same time readily yieldable upon meeting an obstruction.

Another object of the invention is to utilize a material for the sleeve of sufliciently light Weight and flexibility so that a nearly circular or other fixed cross-sectional shape will be maintained when air passing through it is under a slightly superatmospheric pressure, thus contributing to the desired rigidity of the structure.

Another object of the invention is to provide on the side of the sleeve opposite the air outlets a standing seam, fin or bead, for the purpose of preventing the long tube of flexible material from breaking back away from issuing air currents and for making the entire structure especially rigid against deflection away from the outlets in the plane of the air streams.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an additional stiffening member in the form of a rod, tube or equivalent, extending vertically along the sleeve adjacent the standing seam, to assist in reducing deflection of the sleeve and to resist any buckling of the standing seam which would permit deflection of the sleeve by breaking back away from the air stream, while permitting deflection readily in the plane of travel.

These and other objects and features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description and accompanying drawings of illustrative embodiments of the invention, in which:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation showing a conventional traveling cleaner mounted on a trackway'over a spinning frame with flexible sleeves made according to the present invention depending from the cleaner on opposite sides of the frame.

Fig. 2 is a vertical elevation of a flexible sleeve made according to the present invention but of suflicient length to reach close to the floor for the purpose of sweeping lint th'erealong.

Fig. 3 is an enlargement of the flexible sleeve of Fig.

1 as it appears from the side containing ports through 6 is a still greater enlargement of a portion of Fig. 6a is an enlarged fragmentary detail of Fig. 6. Fig. 7 shows diagrammatically the type of breaking back of a traveling cleaner flexible sleeve which is prevented by the' present invention without impairing desired general lightness and yieldability of the sleeve.

Referring to Fig. 1, a conventional spinning frame 2 is shown somewhat schematically and serves the purpose of orienting the invention. A plurality of aligned center posts 4 support a trackway 6 on which is mounted a traveling blower or cleaner 8 which includes a motor 10, a fan (not shown), housing 12, and laterally extending ducts 14 and 16. Depending from ducts 14 and 16 are flexible sleeves 18 and 28. While fiexiblesleeves are known to the prior art, the flexible sleeves that will hereinafter be described possess new and novel characteristics which make it possible to carry out the cleaning function of the traveling blower in a safer and much more reliable manner.

Since for use on a spinning frame sleeves 18 and 28 are usually identical, only sleeve 28 will be described. Referring to Figs. 1 and 3, extending down from duct '16 to within the upper end of sleeve 28 is a circular or polygonal rigid cylinder 22, usually made of sheet metal and adapted for adjustably attaching flexible sleeve 28 therebelow, the latter being clamped at proper height by band 29. The lower end of cylinder 22 may extend downwardly for any desired distance to a point 26.

The sleeve 28 comprises a tube of flexible thin sheet material which may be any one of a number of different products, shapes and lengths, and may be straight, or tapered below 26 as shown. For best operation, the material used must be capable of assuming a proper cross-sectional form, preferably circular, under the air pressure present therein during normal operation.

Along the side of sleeve 28 are ports such as 30 and 32, so located as to direct air toward certain parts of the machine to be cleaned. An opening such as 34 or equivalent may be provided at the extreme bottom of the sleeve for directing part of the air either horizontally or downwardly at lower objectives.

In the embodiment shown by Figs. 1 and 3 outlets 30 and 32 are located near the lower end of the tube. These 'will suit requirements for cleaning certain central and lower frame areas, upper frame areas being cleaned by outlets 35 and/or by other sleeves (not shown) attached to duct 16. If it is desired that sleeve 28 clean upper as well as lower frame areas, other appropriate additional outlets in 28 may be provided in addition to or instead of those illustrated.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention suited to use on a traveling blower for sweeping lint along the floor. Only one air outlet 34a is here illustrated, this being located close to the floon. If desired, additional outlets may be included at suitable locations, for cleaning other areas of the machine or room.

Abrasion pads 36 may, if desired, be provided on opposite sides of the sleeve facing in either or both directions of travel thereby to protect the sleeve against damage should obstacles be encountered.

It is believed apparent that flexible sleeve 28 under the influence of air issuing athigh velocity from ports suchas 30, 32 and 34 will tend to bend away from the machine in a gradual curve, or break back as-shown in dotted lines in Fig. 7. If the material of the main portion of sleeve 28 has little elasticity, little bending will occur as long as this large tube remains in exact circular cross-section. If, however, a crease develops at any point on the side opposite to air outlets, a serious breaking back will immediately result. As such bending or breaking occurs, the air issuing from ports 30, 32 and 34 will change direction and desired cleaning efficiency will be destroyed. It, therefore, is apparent that if means can be provided to prevent such crease forming and to otherwise stiffen the entire tube structure,

the normal substantially vertical position of the sleeve will be dependably maintained, so that the air issuing from ports 30, 32 and 34 will at all times travel to the desired areas. On the other hand, construction must be such that should the sleeve 28 engage some obstacle such as an operator or fixed object in the course of its travel it may still bend sufliciently to pass the engaged object. This, therefore, requires stiifening devices.

Referring to Figs. 3, 5 and 6, a preferred embodiment of the stiifening construction of the invention is shown in detail. The main portion of sleeve 28, made preferably of rubberized or plastic-coated fabric, is continuous about its circumference with its terminal edges 38 and 40 extending outwardly in a radial direction diametrically opposite ports 30, 32 and 34 to form a part of a standing seam. Between these two radial edges are two other terminal edges 42 and 44 of a sheet of the same or similar material 46 which extends to the inside of the sleeve 28 and surrounds and holds tightly therewithin a slightly flexible rod or tube 48' preferably of rubber, resilient plastic or equivalent material.

Superimposed on the exterior of edges 38 and 40 are flanges 54 and 56 of a somewhat thicker, slightly flexible channel element 58. Tube 48 and channel 58 preferably run the full length of the sleeve as from a position within or just below the band 29 to 52 in Fig. 1. Correspondingly, the material 46 surrounding'tube 48 is of the same length. The several layers 54, 38, 42, 44, 40 and 56 all exterior of the sleeve are secured together by stitching indicated in Figs. 6 and 6a at 60 and 62; or they may be cemented, riveted, or bolted.

By this construction enough stiffening is provided to prevent a crease forming in the circular section of sleeve 28 and otherwise to resist any tendency toward either gradual or sharp bending in a direction away from the machine under the influence of air blasts issuing from ports 39, 32 and 34. It will be seen that there are in effect two red or tube-like elements running vertically in parallelism connected by a web. This structural arrangement resists buckling of the Web and along with the generally cylindrical shape of the inflated tube 28 provides sufficient rigidity in a direction transverse of the machine to maintain the entire sleeve assembly in substantially fixed position with respect to duct 16 during normal o'peration. On the other hand, the structure is such'that should the sleeve encounter an object during its travel, the entire sleeve below point 26 (Fig. 1), or any portion of the same, may be readily bent in a direction lengthwise of the machine, and to a lesser degree in any other direction and will resume its normal shape upon termination of engagement with such object.

That is to say, there has been provided means for giving required rigidity to the sleeve in one direction while continuing essential flexibility and resiliency in a directon degrees therefrom.

Fig. 4 shows in section another embodiment of the sleeve stiffening construction equivalent to that of Figs. 5 and 6. In this embodiment the entire stiffening member, which in cross-section has the shape of a dumbbell, is a single long molded member comprising ro'ds or tubes 68 and 78 joined by web 70. Edges 38 and 40 of sleeve 28 extend outwardly over web 70 and are stitched, cemented or otherwise firmly attached thereto. If desired, portion 78 or 68 may be omitted and if web section 70 is in itself properly proportioned to maintain the sleeve in the condition desired, both portions 78 and 68 may be omitted in some sleeves.

It is apparent that this invention has many embodiments applying to traveling cleaner sleeves of suflicient flexibility below head height to yield upon impingement with a person or other object, and of sufficient rigidity and resiliency whenever the cleaner is operating to insure that the air stream or streams will be directed substantially as desired. The invention is not to be limited by such details as the number, length or exact cross-sectional shape or size of sleeves, number 'or direction of outlets in each sleeve, direction of air currents, whether suctio'n currents are included as well as blowing, type and location of machine or room surfaces to be cleaned.

The invention is not limited to any particular sleeve material, thickness of the material or exact flexibility and rigidity of the entire sleeve structure or any part thereof. Circumstances of use will determine the relative importance of such characteristics as softness and yieldability of the sleeve as a Whole in different directions, rigidity against bending away from issuing air currents, and wearing qualities.

Rubberized and plastic-covered fabrics of low stretch characteristics have been used satisfactorily for the main sleeve material. Thickness is optional within rather wide limits. As thin as 0.022 inch has proved satisfactory in some instances. A thickness of 0.034 or more can sometimes be used to good advantage. Diameter of sleeve 23 may vary from a few inches to 8 inches or more depending upon required air volume and velocity, length of sleeve and other factors. Diameters of parts 48 and 53 or 68 and 78 may similarly be in the o'rder of /2 inch to 1 inch or more. Abrasion pads on the side, protective ears of various sorts, internal or external lips at air outlets, are among the safety features, reinforcements and air directing helps which may be desirable in the practical application of the invention in spite of the reduction in complete flexibility which may result.

It is my intention to cover all variations and modifications of the embodiment of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined heretofore and claimed in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a traveling cleaner for cleaning the surfaces of a textile machine, textile room or the like, of lint, dust and other foreign particles, wherein said traveling cleaner comprises a housing mounted for movement above the textile machine, said housing having means for inducing air movement therein and duct means communicating with said means for inducing air movement, an improved flexible sleeve for directing air between said means for inducing air movement and the lint-covered surfaces of the textile machine or the like, said flexible sleeve being secured to said duct means and extending downwardly adjacent the side of the textile machine, said flexible sleeve including at least one opening in a side thereof through which air is adapted to pass, and stiffening means comprising a combination rod and radial web member attached lengthwise of said flexible sleeve and extending down substantially as far as the lowest point of opening in the side of said flexible sleeve, said combination rod and radial web member being attached to a side of the sleeve opposite from the side having the opening therein and substantially at a position refined by a line of intersection of the sleeve and a plane normal to the direction of travel of the cleaner, which plane bisects the sleeve.

2. A sleeve in a traveling cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein said combination rod and radial member is attached to the outer surface of the side opposite from the side having the opening therein.

3. A sleeve in a traveling cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein said combination rod and radial member is attached so that the rod is inside the sleeve and the Web is outside the sleeve.

4. In a traveling cleaner for cleaning the surfaces of a textile machine, textile room or the like of lint, dust and other foreign particles, wherein said traveling cleaner comprises a housing mounted for movement above the textile machine, said housing having means for inducing air movement therein and improved duct means communicating with said means for inducing air movement; said improved duct means'acting to distribute and direct air from said housing to said machine, room or the like and comprising a thin-walled sleeve of highly flexible mate rial, one or more outlets in the side of the sleeve for delivering air in the directions required, means attached to and extending lengthwise of the sleeve on a side substantially opposite one or more of said air outlets to stiflen the sleeve against creasing and bending away from the issuing air currents while at the same time permitting the sleeve to yield upon engagement with an operator or other object in its path of travel, said stiffening means comprising a rod member which is relatively rigid with respect to said sleeve but resiliently bendable, said rod member having a radial extension to which said sleeve is attached thereby to form a standing seam, said rod member and radial extension extending down substantially as far as the lowest point of opening in the side of the sleeve and being attached to a side of the sleeve opposite from the side having the opening and substantially at a position defined by a line of intersection of the sleeve and a plane normal to the direction of travel of the cleaner, which plane bisects the sleeve.

5. In a traveling cleaner for cleaning the surfaces of a textile machine, textile room or the like of lint, dust and other foreign particles, wherein said traveling cleaner comprises a housing mounted for movement above the textile machine, said housing having means for inducing air movement therein and improved duct means communicating with said means for inducing air movement; said improved duct means acting to distribute and direct air from said housing to said machine, room or the like and comprising a thin-walled sleeve of highly flexible material, one or more outlets in the side of the sleeve for delivering air in the directions required, means attached to and extending lengthwise of the sleeve on a side substantially opposite one or more of said air outlets to stiffen the sleeve against creasing and bending away from the issuing air currents while at the same time permitting the sleeve to yield upon engagement with an operator or other object in its path of travel, said stiffening means comprising a first rod relatively inflexible compared with the flexibility of the sleeve but resiliently bendable, saidrod having a radial extension to which said sleeve is attached thereby to form a standing seam and a second rod of characteristics similar to said first rod spaced apart radially from the said first rod and attached thereto.

6. The sleeve set forth in claim 5, one of said rods being located exteriorly of said sleeve and the other of said rods being located interiorly of said sleeve.

7. In a traveling cleaner for cleaning the surfaces of a textile machine, textile room or the like, of lint, dust and other foreign particles, wherein said traveling cleaner comprises a housing mounted for movement above the textile machine, said housing having means for inducing air movement therein and duct means communicating with said means for inducing air movement; said duct means comprising a sleeve of highly flexible material, one or more outlets through which air passing through said sleeve may be directed at the surfaces to be cleaned, means associated with the sleeve on the side opposite said outlets for stiffening the sleeve to a degree suflicient to prevent objectionable bending of the sleeve under the reactive force applied by the air issuing from said outlets, said stiffening means comprising two vertically extending parallel rods, one of said rods being adjacent the interior wall of said sleeve and the other rod being radially aligned with the said first rod and located exteriorly of said sleeve, a web element extending radially of said sleeve connecting said rods, said stiffening means being sufficiently flexible and resilient to permit bending of said sleeve in any direction upon engagement with an operator or other object in its path of travel and to cause said sleeve to resume normal shape upon termination of said engagement.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Evans May 30, 1944 Holtzclaw Oct. 10, 1950 Szantay et a1. June 12, 1956 Bahnson May 19, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS Germany Aug. 22, 1928 France Oct; 30, 1920 Great Britain Oct. 3, 1956 OTHER REFERENCES V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 2,931,061 April 5, 1960 Grover Bascom Holtzclaw Column 5, line 55, for "refined" read defined Signed and sealed this 13th day of September 1960.

(SEAL) Attest:

KARL H. AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

